Canberra targeted to help boost struggling south coast economy

With locals keeping their wallets shut and future Delta lockdowns uncertain in Sydney and Melbourne, the struggling south coast tourism industry will be looking to Canberrans to help ease the pain.

With lockdown uncertainty and concerns the Sydney COVID-19 outbreak may spread to the regions, the south coast is looking to Canberra to help it’s ailing tourism economy.

Sapphire Coast Tourism’s marketing manager, Anthony Osborne, said from Canberra on Friday, the nation’s capital is “in their own world”, with other state capitals in lockdown and Canberrans living mask-free.

After the Black Summer bushfires and Covid border closures decimated the two previous summers, Mr Osborne said he was optimistic this year will help struggling local businesses.

“We’re now used to not looking too far into the future, so we’re looking forward to the September school holidays,” Mr Osborne said.

“Our industry is really hoping for a good late September.”

Merimbula is always a popular destination with tourists. Picture: Claudine Thornton

This week, a south coast GP said they expect cases from the Sydney Delta strain outbreak to reach the south coast before Christmas.

NSW recorded 291 new COVID-19 infections on Friday — its highest daily total of the pandemic.

Mr Osborne said with “not much local spending going on”, it was unlikely there would be many visitors from outside the region until a flattening of Sydney Covid cases, which would increase confidence in ACT residents to visit the south coast.

“Locals don’t seem to be out and about, I heard one shop in Pambula sold just two candles this week,” he said.

“We had such a massive domestic boom back in Autumn before the latest lockdowns, and I think there’s confidence we can get back to that.

The oyster industry attracts plenty of tourists. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Everyone’s pretty optimistic about Christmas, but the next few months will be nerve wracking.

“It’s day to day at the moment.”

With Canberra the only remaining market, there are hopes the upcoming Walawaani Muriyira-Waraga whale watching festival in Bermagui will help grow confidence in tourism.

“It really just depends on how Sydney rolls,” Mr Osborne said.

“If we get confidence Sydney is getting better, the Canberra visitors will come back.

“We need confidence the curve is coming down and that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. That is critical to us.”

Mr Osborne said the industry was looking to stimulate the local market if the Sydney outbreak continues to create lockdowns.

“I think summer will be fine, if life starts turning a corner,” he said.

“The floodgates will open up from Canberra if we get some confidence from Sydney.”